Campanula plant named &#39;PKMM01&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Campanula  plant named ‘PKMM01’, characterized by its upright, compact plant habit; dense and bushy plant form, mainly due to short, upright and stiff stems; vigorous growth habit, with no need for chemical growth retardation; higher number of flowers per plant; many cuttings on each stock plant; no need for vernalization for flower induction; and light purple colored flowers.

LATIN NAME OF GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Campanula medium

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘PKMM01’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Campanula plant, botanically known as Campanula medium, commonly known as Canterbury Bells, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘PKMM01’.

The new Campanula, ‘PKMM01’, is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor, Christian Hald Madsen, in Søhus, Denmark. The objective of the breeding program is to develop a new Campanula cultivar with upright, compact plant form and unique colored flowers.

The new Campanula cultivar originated from a cross made in a controlled breeding program by the inventor in 2007 in Søhus, Denmark. The female or seed parent is an unpatented cultivar from the proprietary breeding line of Campanula medium designated clone 1. The male or pollen parent is an unpatented cultivar from the proprietary breeding line of Campanula medium designated clone 2. The new Campanula ‘PKMM01’ was discovered and selected by the inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in June of 2008 in a controlled environment in Søhus, Denmark. The inventor selected ‘PKMM01’ on the basis of its upright, compact plant habit, plant height, light purple flowers.

Asexual reproduction of the new Campanula cultivar by terminal cuttings was first performed in March of 2008 in Søhus, Denmark, and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true-to-type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘PKMM01’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘PKMM01’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Upright, compact plant habit;

2. Dense and bushy plant form, mainly due to short, upright and stiff stems;

3. Vigorous growth habit, with no need for chemical growth retardation;

4. Higher number of flowers per plant;

5. Many cuttings on each stock plant;

6. No need for vernalization for flower induction; and

8. Light purple colored flowers.

Plants of the instant cultivar ‘PKMM01’ differ primarily from plants of the parental cultivars, primarily in that plants of ‘PKMM01’ produce a higher yield of cuttings than plants of the parental cultivars.

Side-by-side comparisons were conducted by the inventor in Søhus, Denmark, among plants of the instant cultivar ‘PKMM01’ and plants of the most similar commercial cultivar, the wild-type Campanula medium designated Champion (unpatented). Plants of the new Campanula medium ‘PKMM01’ differ from plants of Campanula medium designated Champion, primarily in the following characteristic:

1. Plants of the ‘PKMM01’ are shorter in height (about 23 cm to 28 cm) than plants of Champion (about 120 cm).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Campanula ‘PKMM01’, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which more accurately describe the actual colors of ‘PKMM01’.

FIG. 1 shows a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘PKMM01’, as grown in a 10.5 cm pot at 11 weeks of age.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up top view perspective of a typical mature flower produced by ‘PKMM01’ at 11 weeks of age.

FIG. 3 show a close-up side perspective view of a typical mature flower and bud produced by ‘PKMM01’ at 11 weeks of age.

FIG. 4 shows a close-up view perspective of the upper surface of a typical basal leaf, produced by ‘PKMM01’ at 11 weeks of age.

FIG. 5 shows a close-up view perspective of the upper surface of a typical apical leaf, produced by ‘PKMM01’ at 11 weeks of age.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Campanula ‘PKMM01’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, day length, and fertility level without any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photographs, together with the following observations, measurements and values describe plants of the new Campanula ‘PKMM01’ as grown in a heated and lighted, glass-covered greenhouse in Søhus, Denmark, under conditions which closely approximate those generally used in commercial practice where day and night temperatures in the greenhouse range from 18-22° C. Ambient light levels used while growing plants of ‘PKMM01’ are +90Wm². Plants of ‘PKMM01’ are grown with 18 hour long day photoperiodic treatments from the third week. Propagation and young plants are exposed to 10 hour short photoperiodic treatments. No growth retardants used.

The age of the ‘PKMM01’ plants described is 11 weeks old and grown in 10.5 cm pots. The photographs and descriptions were taken during June of 2008. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (RHS), 4^(th) edition, except where general colors of ordinary significance are used.

-   Classification: -   Botanical: Campanula medium -   Parentage: -   Female or seed parent: Unpatented cultivar from the proprietary     breeding line of Campanula medium designated clone 1. -   Male or pollen parent: Unpatented cultivar from the proprietary     breeding line of Campanula medium designated clone 2. -   Propagation: -   Type cutting: Terminal vegetative cuttings. -   Time to initiate roots: About 12 to 15 days at 18 to 21° C. in     tunnels in a greenhouse. -   Root description: Fine, well branched, fibrous. -   Plant description: -   Form: Annual, herbaceous plant with upright, compact plant habit.     Produced as potted plant. Campanulate flowers in racemes. Freely     branching with lateral branches forming at every node. -   Crop time: After rooting, about 11 weeks are required to produce     finished flowering plants in 10.5 cm pots. -   Vigor: Vigorous growth rate. -   Plant height (from pot rim to top of plant plane): About 23 cm to 28     cm. -   Plant spread (width): About 25 cm to 35 cm. -   Lateral branches:     -   -   Habit.—Basal spreading branches and central upright stem             when flowering.         -   Quantity.—About 25 to 35 per plant.         -   Leaves per lateral branch.—About 8 to 10.         -   Length (including flowers).—8 cm to 15 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 3 mm to 4 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2 cm to 3 cm. -   Stem:     -   -   Shape.—Round.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—Upright and spreading.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—RHS 138A, green. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Basal leaves.—Arrangement: Single. Overall shape:             Elliptical. Apex shape: Rounded. Base shape: Cordate to             truncate. Length: About 6 cm to 8 cm. Width: About 3 cm to             5 cm. Margin: Crenate. Texture (both sides): Velvety.             Pubescence: Very short, stiff hairs on both sides,             hispidulous.         -   Apical (stem) leaves.—Arrangement: Single, alternate.             Overall shape: Oblong, dentate. Apex shape: Acute. Base             shape: Rosulate. Length: About 3 cm to 5 cm. Width: About 1             cm to 1.5 cm. Margin: Crenate. Texture (both sides):             Velvety. Pubescence: Very short, stiff hairs on both sides,             hispidulous.         -   Basal & apical leaves.—Foliage Color: Mature: Upper surface:             Green, RHS 139A. Lower Surface: Green, RHS 138A. Immature:             Upper surface: Green, RHS 139A. Lower Surface: Green, RHS             138A. Venation: Pattern: Reticulate. Color (upper and lower             surface): Green, RHS 138A. Petiole: Basal Length: About 5 cm             to 6 cm. Apical Length: Up to 1 cm. Diameter: 1.0 mm to             3.0 mm. Color: RHS N138A, green. Texture: Slightly             Pubescent. -   Inflorescence description: -   Flower arrangement and shape: Single, large, campanulate flowers in     racemes turning upright to outward, basipetal flowering habit. -   Natural flowering season: June to July. Season can be extended by     long day treatments. -   Time to flower: About 8 weeks after planting of rooted cutting. -   Flower longevity: On the plant, flowers last about 6 to 10 days;     however, longevity of individual flowers is highly dependent on     temperature and light conditions. Flowers persistent. -   Fragrance: Slight perfume scent. -   Inflorescence size:     -   -   Height.—15 cm to 30 cm.         -   Diameter.—5 cm to 25 cm. -   Number of flowers per inflorescence: 10 to 20. -   Number of flowers per lateral stem: 5 to 10. -   Number of flowers and buds per plant: About 150 to 250. -   Buds:     -   -   Length.—Up to 30 mm.         -   Diameter.—Up to 10 mm.         -   Shape.—Oblong, petals forming a ribbed tube.         -   Rate of opening.—1 to 3 per day.         -   Color.—Yellow-green, RHS 144D. -   Flowers:     -   -   Height.—About 30 to 40 mm.         -   Diameter.—About 40 mm. -   Petals:     -   -   Arrangement.—Single, sympetalous, slightly corrugated,             basally fused campanulate; persistent.         -   Quantity per flower.—About 5.         -   Length.—Lobes about 14 mm; whole petal about 30 mm to 40 mm.         -   Width.—About 15 mm to 20 mm.         -   Overall shape.—Sympetalous with acute lobes.         -   Tip.—Acute.         -   Base.—Fused.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture.—Silky.         -   Color (when opening).—Upper and lower surfaces: Purple, RHS             75B.         -   Color (when fully opened).—Upper and lower surfaces: Purple,             RHS 75B.         -   Fading.—Fades to red-purple, RHS 63B. -   Sepals:     -   -   Arrangement.—Basally fused.         -   Appearance.—Pubescent.         -   Quantity per flower.—5.         -   Length.—About 25 mm to 30 mm.         -   Width.—About 8 to 10 mm.         -   Overall shape.—Ovate.         -   Tip.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Sagittate.         -   Margin.—Serate to biserate.         -   Texture.—Pubescent, short, soft white hairs.         -   Color (immature).—Upper and lower surfaces: Green, RHS 138A.         -   Color (mature).—Upper and lower surfaces: Green, RHS 138A. -   Peduncles:     -   -   Length.—About 15 mm to 25 mm.         -   Diameter.—About 2 mm to 3 mm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Color.—Green, RHS 138A.         -   Pedicels.—None. -   Reproductive organs: -   Androecium:     -   -   Stamen.—Quantity: 5, fused until pollen has shed.         -   Anther.13 Shape: Lanceolate. Twisting when withering.             Length: About 12 mm (just before flowering opening). Color:             Yellow, RHS 10C (just before flowering opening) and yellow,             RHS 11A (when withering).         -   Pollen.—Amount: Plenty. Color: Yellow, RHS 10B. -   Gynoecium:     -   -   Pistil.—Quantity: 1. Length: About 25 mm to 35 mm.         -   Stigma.—Shape: Fivepartite. Color: Yellow-green, RHS 149B.         -   Style.—Length: About 20-25 mm. Color: White, RHS 155A.         -   Ovary.—Color: White, RHS 155A. -   Seed/fruit: None observed. -   Weather tolerance: Plants of the new Campanula have exhibited good     tolerance to drought, rain and wind, with low temperature resistance     to 0° C. -   Disease/pest resistance: Not tested. -   Disease/pest susceptibility: Not tested. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Campanula plant named ‘PKMM01’, as illustrated and described herein. 